Metal-bending machine.



E. W. CRELLIN. META L BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2. 1914.

1,156,062. Patented 0013121915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 1. v

METAL BENDING MACHINEI I APPLICATION HLED NOV. 2, 1914- Patented Oct.12, 19 15.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'WITNESSES INVENTOR E. w. CRELLIN. METAL BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.'2. I9l4.

' Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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$20 mm .v

WITNESSES E. W. CRELLIN.

METAL BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2. 1914.

Patenfed 001.. 12,1915.

, I SHEETS-SHEET 4.v

I WITNESSES E. W. CRELLIN. METAL 5511mm; MACHINE; APPLICATION FILED NOV.2. I914.

Patented 0 1. 12, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 5 VV///////// v/ Z MJM A' Patented Oct. 12, 1915;

7 SHEETSSHEET 6.

wnnzsszs INVENTOR Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

1 SHEETS-SHEET] INVEN'I'OR 6. WM- 7 QZn l lllllll I'll E W CRELLIN METALBENDING MACHINE. KPPLICATION FILED NOV. 2. 1914. 1,156,062.

WITNESSES EDWARD W. CRELLIN, OF GRAFTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSII'GrNOR TODES MOINES- BRIDGE & IRON WORKS, or mas MOINES, IOWA, A CORPORATION orIowa.

' METAL-BENDING MACHINE.

Application filed November 2, 1914.

To all whom 2'25 may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD W. CRELLIN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Grafton, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania,have invented new and usefulImprovements in Metal-Bending Machines, of which the following is aspecione another, as will more clearly appearinf connection with thedescription of Figure 15. Heretoforeithas been found practicallyimpossible by a unitary machine to satisfactorily dish plates havingunsymmetrical or angular shapes, such," for example, as are possessed bythe segmental plates which largely constitute the convex bottoms of theabove described tanks. One of the difiicul- I ties in dishing plateswith angular or unmeans for balancing the various movable parts, and forcausing them to perform their work and return to their initialpositions.

Other minor objects will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is partly a centralvertical section, and partly an elevation of a machine embodying theprinciples of my invention the section being on the line I-I, Fig. 2 andSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

Serial N 0. 869,759.

parts being omitted; Fig. 2, a plan and a horizontal section on the lineIIII, l: ig. 1; Fig. 3, a horizontal section on the line I1'IIII, Fig.1, a-portion being-broken away; Fig. 4, an elevation of av portionshowing the balancing means for the lower die;

Fig. 5, a vertical section through one side of the outer ring-dies andthe means for rotating them and indicating their rotary movements, thesection being on the line V-V, Fig.3; Fig. 6, an elevation of a portionof one die-ring and the means cooperating therewith for adjusting itslevels, the view being taken from the line VL-VI, Fig. 1; Fig. 7, afragmentary view showing a portion of one die ring in elevation and themeans for rotating the same, a partbeing in vertical section, the viewbeing taken on the line VII-VII, Fig. 5; Fig. 8,

a vertical section through one of the power cylinders; Fig. 9, avertical section through one of the cylinders for returning or raisingthe upper dies, parts being in elevation; Fig. 10, an elevation of oneof the saddles or presser shoes and its holder; Fig. 11, an elevation ofFig. 10 rotatedhorizontally 90; Fig. 12, an elevation of the machine;

' TED sra rns ATENT omuoa. j

Fig. 13, an elevation of the machine looking at a different side, partsbeing broken away; Fig. let, a view showing the lower dies and a few ofthe upper dies in relation to outlines of metal plates to be bent; andFig. 15, a plan of a tank bottom showing the shape of the sections ofwhich it is'made and their arrangement.

On the drawings, 1 represents the base of my machine. It is generallyrectangular in shape and has secured thereto near its corners thevertical parts 2 which support at their upper ends the head 3substantially parallel with the base 1 and which contains varioushydraulic mechanism to be described presently. The parts 2 are providedwith the nuts 4 which engage the bottom of the base 1 and with the nuts5 which engage the top of the head 3, the nuts preventing the relativemovement'of thebase and head, one I away from the other. The lower dieis composed of a central circular sectlon 6 and a serles of annular orsection 6 and one another, that is, the sections are successivelyinclusive. I have shown these sections having their upper surfacesarranged to form the concave member ring sections all concentric withthe circular is slidable and by which it is rotated.

of the dies. One of the intermediate rings, marked 7 is non-adjustableand is supported on the circular support 8 seated on the base 1. Betweenthe ring 7 and the circular section 6, there are a series of fiveconcentric ring sections 9 to- 13, and beyond the ring 7 there is asecond series of concentric ring sections 14 to 18. These two series ofring sections and the central section are adjustable vertically in orderthat the lower die lnay bend plates and sheets conforming to curvatureshaving radii of different lengths, without the necessity of providingseparate machines for different curvatures. In order to make the lowerdie have curvatures with a shorter radius, it is necessary to raise therings 14 to 18 and to lower the rings 9 to 13 and the central section 6.In order that the curvature of the lower die may be described by alonger radius the outer rings must be lowered and the inner rings andthe section 6 must be raised.

The central die-section 6 has a depending tubular member 19 working as anut on the vertical fixed screw 20 supported by the bearing 21 on whichthe horizontal bevel gear 22 may rotate. This gear has an up wardextension 23 in which the memberr 1119 e bevel-gear 22 meshes with thebevel gear 24 on the horizontal shaft 25 which has bear ings on thesupport 8 and the post-21 and is rotated by the hand-wheel 26. The shaft25 is connected by a train of gearing 27 to the shaft 28 which carriesthe .pointer or hand 29 before the dial 30 containing suitable1ndications which may indicate radii of differmanner in Figs. 1 and 5.

ent lengths, the gearing being so propor tioned that when the pointer 29stands opposite any indication on the dial, the operator knows that thesection 6 is properly set or adjusted for curving a plate to the radiussignified by that indication.

The ring 9 is supported by the ring'7, and each of the rings within thering 9 is supported by its inclosing ring, in the same -manner,' whichis particularly shown on steps 31 rest upon correspondingly-shapedinclined steps 32, that is, the inclines of the two series of stepsincline upwardly in the same direction. It is now seen. that if therings 9v to 13 and 14 to 18 be rotated in the proper directions andthrough the proper distances, they will all have their "levels mentalgears 33 arranged on the surfaces inclined parallel with the inclines onthe steps 31 and as may be seen by comparing Figs. 12 and 13. Theseparate segmental gears 33 mesh with separate pinions 34 secured to theinner ends of concentric individual driving shafts 35. The'inner end ofthe innermost shaft 35 has its bearing in the ring 7 (Fig. 5), its outerend having its bearing in the outer wall of the housing 37. Theoutermost shaft 35 has its bearing 38in the inner wall of the saidhousing. The shafts 35 are provided with individual spur-gears 39,meshing with spur-gears 40 secured to the concentric shafts 41, theinnermost shaft having its bearing 42 on the inner wall of the housing37 and the outermost shaft having its bearing 43 in the outer wall ofthe said housing. The shafts 41 are provided with individual hand-wheels44 to '48. It is seen that, by turning the wheels 44 to 48, therespective rings 14 to 18 will be rotated and thereby raised or lowered.

The gears 40 mesh'with he separate gears 49 mounted on the shaft 50having bearings in the housing 37; The hubs the gears 49 bear integralpinions 50 which mesh with the gears 51 mounted on t coucen "c shafts52, the innermost shaft having its bearings on the inner wall of thehousing and the outermost shaft having its bearing 54 on the outer wallthereof. The shafts 52 except the innermost one carry each a dial 55having indications or marks thereon, the innermost shaft carrying thepointer 56 which traverses the face of the outermost dial. Each of thedials bears a pointer 57 on its periphery, each pointer except theinnermost traversing the face of the next inner dial, while theinnermost pointer traverses the fixed dial 58. The several dials havethereon suitable marks corresponding to the several radii of thecurvatures to Which it is desirable that the lower die be adjusted,

so that when the pointers all indicate a certain radius, the die rings14 to 18 will be at the proper heights to form a plate with a curvaturehaving the indicated radius.

The inner die-rings 9 to 13 are rotated by the gears 59 carried by theconcentric shafts 60 and meshing with segments on-the lower edges of thesaid rings, the segments and gears being similar to the segments 33 andthe gears 34 already described. The shafts 60 carrying individualhand-wheels 61, each carrying a pointer 62 all of which except theinnermost having travel over the dial 63 on the next innerwheel, theinnermost pointer traveling over the fixed dial 64. The pointers anddials have the same functions pointers 56 and 57 and the dials 55 and 58have with'respect to the rings 14 to 18. If desired the dials and otherelements of the indicating devices for the two series of rings may beomitted, and the rings may be ro tated or adjusted in various other waysthan shown.

The outer series of rings 14 to 18 are partially supported orcounterbalanced by the vertically reciprocating bars carrying at theirupper ends the anti-friction rollers 66 in rolling contact with thebottom of the rings. The bars each have teeth along one edge, the teethon each bar being in mesh avith respect to the rings 9 to 13 that thewith a separate segmental gear 67 carried on one end of separateweighted levers 68, each lever being pivoted between its segmental gear67 and its weight 69. I provide two sets of these counter-balancingdevices, each about 120 from the gears 34. As the rings are adjusted upand down, the counterbalancing devices follow and support the rings. Thelevers 68 are supported by bearings in the castings 70 resting on thebase 1.

These counterbalancing devices relieve the rings from considerablefriction on their supports and make the adjustment of the rings mucheasier.

The head 3 contains the central hydraulic plunger or piston 71 carryingon its lower end the circular die-section 72 of the same diameter as thedie-section 6, its bottom face being co-nvexed to correspond with thecon cavity in the upper face of the die-section 6. The head 3 alsocontains three circular concentric series of plungers which are alsoconcentric with the plunger 71. The plungers of the inner series aremarked 73; those of the intermediate series are marked 74; and those ofthe outer series are marked 75. Each of the plungers 73, 74, and 75carries at its lower end a tilting saddle or die 76 mounted on a pin 77in a collar 78 secured to the plunger. Each collar is cut away on itsouter lower corner to permit the saddle or die 76 to swing so that itsbottom convex face may become parallel with that portion of the lowerdie beneath it.

Water is admitted to the upper end of the plunger 71 through the'pipe79, which is supplied with water through the valve or controller 80,operated by the lever 81. Controllers 'are old and the internalstructure is, therefore, not illustrated, the drawing merely showing thepresence of a controller. Water is admitted to the upper ends of theplungers 73 through the branch pipes 82 connected to the pipe 83 whichis supplied with water by the pipe 84 leading to the controller 85operated by the lever 86. Water is admitted to the upper ends of theplungers 74 through the branch pipes 87 connected to the pipe '88 whichderives its supply of water through the pipe 89 which derives its supplyof water from the pipe 94 leading to the controller 95 operated by thelever 96.

It will be noticed that each circular series of plungers is providedwith a ring 97 through which the lower ends of the plungers extend, therings being above the collars 78. The head 3 is provided with threecircular series of hydraulic plungers '98, there being one series ofplungers 98 in the same circle with each series of plungers 73', 74, and75. The plungers 98 carry on their upper ends above the head 3cross-heads 99, from each of which two side bars 100 depend, the lowerends of the side bars for each seriesof plungers being connected to thering 97 beneath.

Fig. 9 shows that the water is brought to the lower end of a plunger 98by means of a passage 101 in the head 3. Water is supplied to theseveral plungers 98 by the pipe 106 leads from the pipe 103 to thepassage 107 in the head, this passage opening beneath the piston head108 on the upper end of the plunger 75 (Fig. 8). The water supply main105'is connected to the supply pipe 109' leading to any suitable head orpressure supply of water, 110 being a hand valve in the pipe for cuttingoff the supply when it is desired to do so. I

Each of the controllers has, for example, a piston valve 111 connectedto its piston rod 112, which is connected to its operating lever.'- Ihave illustrated the valve construction for the controller 95 (Fig. 1),it being understood the other controllers contain the same elements andhave the same connec:

tions. The supply main 105 is connected by the separate pipe 113 to thecontrollers (which are hollow cylinders) above the valve 111 and nearthe top thereof. The lower portion of each controller cylinder isconnected below its valve 111 to the exhaust main 114 by the pipes 115.The exhaust main is drained by the waste pipe 116. The several pipes 79,84, 89 and 94 enter their respective controller cylinders 80, 85, 90,and 95 between inlet pipes 113 and the outlet pipes 115. Then the levers81, 86 96 are pushed down to-their lower limit, the piston valve 111stands between the outlet pipes 115 and the supply pipes 79, 84, 89, and94, as shown by the lower dotted lines on Fig. l, but when the leversare raised, the piston valves are stopped between thesaid supply pipesand inlet pipes 113. It is seen that, as long as the valve is open, the

91, and

of the plungers 98 and to the lower side of the piston 108, no matterwhether the power pistons are supplied with water pressure on theirupper ends or not. The total cross-area of the plungers 98 is smallcompared with the total cross-area. of the power plungers, and the areaof the top of the plunger 71 is smaller than the area of the annularportion thereof at thebott'om of the piston 108, so that the pressuretending to raise the plungers is far less than the pressure exerted tolower them. The constant pressure tending to raise the plungers raisesthem when the operating levers are raised to eX- haust the powercylinders in which the plungers 71, 73, 74, and work.

On Fig. 15, I have shown in plan a View of a bottom for a water tank,composed of" the central circular section 118 to which are riveted acircular series of segmental sections 117, the edges of the successiveplates .being riveted together. The sections 118 and 117 are bent by mymachine to curvatures having the same radius before the sections areassembled. It will be observed that the sections 117 are wedge-shaped,their ends being arcs of concentric circles.

On Fig. 14, 1 have shown in dotted lines one of the segmental sections117 onan enlarged scale, the section being supposed to rest on the lowerdie beneath the dies 72 and 76. I have shown the section 117 extendingbeyond the edge of the lower die. It will be observed that some of theupper dies press the lateral edges of the section 117 and others theintermediate portions. After the section 117 has been placed between theupper and lower dies. the lever 96 is moved so as to bring the pistonvalve below the supply pipe 941, whereupon water is admitted to theplungers 75, causing the outer circle of saddles or dies 76 to descendand those in line with the section 117 to engage the same. As thesection 117 is narrowerthan the diameter of the lo 'n' die, the sectionwill be pressed upon the lower die at one .end and at a portiondiametrically opposite. Soon after operating the lever 96, the lever 91is operated so as to admit water to the plungers74 which causes themiddle circle of'dies or saddles 76 to descend upon the section 117.Then the levers 86 are operated so as to admit water to the innermostcircle of plungers 73 which causes the inner circle of dies or saddles76 to descend upon the section 117. Then the lever 81 is oper-. ated soas to admit water to the top of the plunger 71 which causes the die 72to descend upon the section 117. The operating levers may be actuated inquite close succession, and when the sections are circular,

the levers may all be actuated at once.

When the upper dies are composed of three separate solid rings insteadof separate'saddles 76, I found that the lateral meacea gripped by theouter ring. It appeared that the intermediate rings engaged the sections117' onareas between the lateral edges there- 'of before engaging thesaid edges, the result being that the metal in the sections flowedsomewhat toward those edges where it buckled or wrinkled before thepressure of the dies was exerted thereon. By my invention all thesaddles of the outer ring go down together, but those engaging the edgesof the sections 117, having less work to perform than those saddlesengaging the intermediate portions of the sections, will descend fasterand keep the edges tightly stretched. When the second circle of saddlesengages the sections 117, those working on the edges go down faster thanthe others and keep the edges straight and bring them into contact withthe lower dies before the intermediate portions of the sections reachthe dies. The saddles not only keep the edges of the sections or blanksstraight but they act as hold-downs for the edges while the dies actingbetween the edges stretch the metal as they press it down upon the lowerdie. After the dies have pressed one end of the. section or blank 117 tothe curvature of the lower die, it is pushed so that the uncurvedportion lies between the upper and lower dies, whereupon this portion isdished by causing the machine to operate in the manner just described.In order to cause the upper dies to rise it is only necessary to liftthe operating levers to bring all the piston valves to the upper dottedpositions shown on Fig. 1, whereupon the power cylinders discharge theirwater through the pipe 116, as hereinbefore described, the plungers 71and. 98 causing the plungers 71. 73, 74, and 75 to expel the water fromtheir cylinders and drive it to the waste pipe 116. v

I t will be seen that the rings 97 prevent the plungers from bending orthe saddles 76 thereon from spreading when the saddles are cooperatingwith the lower dies, and that the plungers have some movement th ugh therings 97 so that one saddle may, when free to do so, move down' fartheror faster than another.

Though I have shown'the section or blank 117 placed in a definiteposition between the dies, it is obvious that it may occupy otherpositions therein. since the surface of. the lower die is described bythe same raof my invention as defined by the appended claims. I desireto include such changes within the scope of this invention.

I claim: v

1. In a metal bending machine, a die containing a plurality ofsuccessively inclusive sections, having relative movement along theircommon axial center, and means for holding the sections in any one of aplurality of predetermined relative arrangements' thereof along the saidaxial center.

2.'In a metal bending machine, a die containing a plurality ofsuccessively inclusive sections, and means for holding the sections atany one of various relative adjustments along their common axial center.

3. In a metal bending machine, a die comprising a plurality ofsuccessively inclusive sections, and means for adjusting the rela-.

tive positions of the sections along their common axial center wherebythe bending surfaces of the sections may have any one of several shapes.

4. In a metal bending machine, a die member comprising a plurality ofsuccessively inclusive sections, one of the intermediate sections beingstationary, and means for holding the remaining sections at any one ofvarious adjustments along their common axial center.

5. In a metal bending machine, a die comprising a plurality ofsuccessively inclusive sections, one of the intermediate sections beingstationary, and means for adjusting the remaining sections alongtheircommon axial center.

6. In a metal bending machine, a die comprising a plurality ofsuccessivelyinclusive sections, and means whereby the sections may berotated on their common axial center and thereby adjusted along the saidcenter.

7. In a metal bending machine, a die comprising a plurality -ofconcentric sections, and means whereby the sections may be rotated ontheir common axial center and inclines between consecutive sectionswhere by the rotation of one section moves it along the said center.

8. In a metal bending machine, a die comprising a plurality ofconcentric sections, one of the intermediate sections being stationaryand the others being rotatable, means on each section for supporting anadjacent section, and means whereby the ro-- tions, means whereby therotation of the sections changes their levels, a pinion for rotatingeach section, and a toothed rack for each section meshing with one ofthe pinions, the line of the teeth on the racks being inclined so as tokeep the racks and 11. In a metal bending machine, a die comprising aplurality of successively inclusive sections having movement relative toone another along their common axial center, means whereby the sectionsof the said die are held relatively fixed along their said axial centerto present any one of several shaping surfaces of different crosssection,

and a second die coeperative with the first die to press a metal plateor sheet between them to the shaping surface of the first die.

12. In a metal bending machine, a die.

comprising a plurality of successively inclusive sections havingmovement relative to one another along their common axial center,means-whereby the sections of the said die are held relatively fixedalong their said axial center to present any one of several shapingsurfaces of different cross section, and a second die having movablesections coiiperative with the first die to press a metal plate or sheetbetween them to the shaping surface. of the first die.

13. In a metal bending vmachine, a die comprising-a plurality ofsuccessively inclusive annular sections, having relative movement alongtheir common axial center, means whereby the sections are heldrelatively fixed along their said axial center, and a second diecoeperative with the first die to press a metal plate or sheet betweenthem to the shaping surface of the first die, the second die containingshaping annular sections, comprising segments independently movable withrespect to one another.

14. In a metal bending machine,v a diev comprising a plurality ofsuccessively inclusive sections, means for ad usting the relativepositions of the sections along their common axial center to present anyone of several different shaping surfaces, and devices movable with thesections and indicating the relative positions of the same. I

15. In a. bending machine, .a die comprising a plurality of successivelyinclusive sections, means whereby the sections may be rotated on. theircommon axial center and thereby adjusted along the said center, anddevices movable with the sections and indieating the relative positionsof the said sections- 16. In a bending machine, a'die hav ng its workingface curved transversely in all d1rect1ons through a common center, anop die and comprising concentric series of diesections, and means formoving each series toward the first named die.

17. In a bending machine, a die having its working face curvedtransversely in all directions through a common center, an opposing diecooperative with the first named die and comprising concentric series ofdiesections, means for moving each series toward the first named die,and means Whereby the die-sections in each series may move.

independently of one another.

18. Ina metal bending machine, a die comprising a plurality ofconcentric sections, means for adjusting the relative positions of thesections along their common axial center, and a die cooperative with thefirst die, the second die having tilting faces whereby it may conformsubstantially to the working face of the first die at all the curvaturesto which the latter may be adjusted.

19. In a bending machine, a die having its Working face curvedtransversely in all directions through a common center, a diecooperative with the first .named die and comprising concentric seriesof die-sections, means for moving each series toward the first nameddie, and means for automatically returning the die-sections to theirinitial position when the said moving means is released.

20. In a bending machine, a die having its Working face curvedtransversely in all directions through a common center, a diecooperative with the first named die and comprising concentric series ofdie -sections, means for moving each series toward the first named die,means for automatically returning the die-sections to their initialposition when the said moving means is released, and for preventing thedie sections from moving laterally.

21. In a bending machine, a die having its Working face curvedtransversely in all directions through a common center, a diecooperative with the first named die and comprising concentric series ofdie-sections,

means for moving each series toward the first named die, and means forpreventing the die sections from'moving laterally.

22. In a bending machine, a plurality of annular series offluid-operated power plungers, means for separately operating eachseries, a ring for each series to which the plungers of the respectiveseries are connected, a series of fluid-operated die-returning plungersfor moving the rings and power plungers to their initial positions afterthey have been moved to their working positions, and means whereby thedie-returning plungers are automatically operated when the motor fluidwhich has operated the power plunger is exhausted, bending dies carriedby the power plungers, and a die cooperative with the bending dies.

23. In a bending machine, a die havingits shaping face comprising theends of a plurality of successively inclusive sections having relativeparallel movement, and means for holding the sections at a predeterminedone of several arrangements thereof.

24. In a metal bending machine. a die containing a plurality ofsuccessively inelusive sections, having relative movement along aconnnon line. and means for holding the sections in a predetermined oneof several relative arrangements thereof along the said common line.

25. In a metal beniling machine, a die comprising a plurality ofsuccessively inclusive sections having movement relative to one anotheralong their common axial center, means whereby the sections of the saiddie are held relatively fixed along their said axial center, and asecond die cooperative with the first die to press a metal plate orsheet/between them to the shaping surface of the first die, the seconddie comprising independent concentric sections.

Signed at Pittsburgh, la., this 31st day of October, 1914.

EDWARD W. (TRELLIN.

Witnesses:

ALICE E. DUFF, ELvA STANnIon.

